Who Needs Elections?

Tweet

The deputy of Azerbaijan’s ruling party, Aydyn Hasanov, has a novel way of saving money. He’s proposing that parliamentary elections scheduled for 2010 be postponed until after the war in Nagorno Karabakh – an area claimed by Azerbaijan, but occupied by Armenia.

“The draft budget for fiscal year 2010 allocates 50 million manat (62 million US dollars) for elections. We cannot afford ourselves such a luxury during the world economic crisis,” Hasanov said on Friday during a discussion of the draft budget for fiscal year 2010. He went on to say “all deputies, including me, are worthy people. Why do we need to conduct elections? Do you think people will elect someone better than we are?”

Ali Ahmadov, the deputy chairman of the ruling party, Yeni Azerbaijan, said Hasanov was making a joke. He said parliamentary elections will be conducted in 2010.

The Parliament is a rubber stamp for President Ilham Aliyev.